Carol McGiffin on leaving the show, her Christmas plans and why she won’t go sober
WORDS: SARAH ROBERTSON. PHOTOS: ALAMY, GETTY, SHUTTERSTOCK
She stepped away from Loose Women seven months ago following what she called an ‘unjust and unworkable’ contract dispute. But if viewers were hoping Carol McGiffin was going to make a surprise comeback, they’ll be waiting a long time. Speaking exclusively to Woman’s Own, Carol bluntly stated, ‘No, I don’t miss [Loose Women] at all.’
The star, 63, shocked fans when she suddenly departed the hit ITV show. She made her debut on the panel in 2000 and appeared regularly until the show took a break in 2001. She rejoined two years later. Then after working as a full-time panellist for a decade, Carol left in 2013 only to return in 2018, staying until earlier this year.
But despite saying that she doesn’t miss the show, here fan-favourite Carol opens up about how she does miss her former colleagues, why she likes to speak her mind, and her top tip for staying in such good shape…
Stepping away
Following her exit, it was reported that a row had broken out between the presenter and ITV bosses over freedom of speech and Carol’s ability to express her – sometimes controversial – opinions.
Speaking to Woman’s Own about what had happened between her and the channel, Carol, who jokes, ‘My pronouns are P and Off,’ says, ‘It’s just very woke and I can’t deal with the wokeness.’ And when asked if she felt she wasn’t allowed to express herself on the show, Carol replied, ‘Well no because I just did, but I know it wasn’t really welcomed.’
But while these things were clearly factors in her decision to step away from the show, she insists they weren’t her sole reasons for quitting. ‘That’s not why I am not there,’ she tells us. ‘I am not there because of other stuff.’ And despite saying she doesn’t miss the show itself, she admits, ‘I miss the girls and going in there and seeing everybody and having a gossip. But at the same time, I don’t miss being on TV, really.’ So would she consider going back in the future? ‘Well, never say never. But it doesn’t look likely,’ she says.
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